Whisky prices going up

Diageo suffered losses in Southern Europe and China and was going to increase their prices to make up for the lower sales, maybe the others followed?

In Ontario, the prices are so high no one notices if there is an increase. Also, the LCBO marks up so high that they don't care if it costs them more to get it.

But I'm not cynical or anything.

Actually, I've noticed Balvenie 15 single cask has increased by about 20% over 3 years, but something like A'Bunadh has only gone up 10 cents, or 0.1% over the same period.

An increase in the price of Balvenie is indeed odd, with the opening of the Ailsa Bay distillery in 2007 (with copies of the Balvenie still) one would expect that more Balvenie whisky would become available for the single malt market

@PeatyZealot I did notice a rise over the last 3 months or so. I made a comparison a year ago for some of the bottles on my wishlist. Just to see where I could save money. Prices are up between 5-10% I think, which is much more than just inflation.

Since you are also from Holland, did you already know about this site for comparing prices? www.drankvinder.nl/whisky

@Pandemonium

I wasn't aware of the new distillery. In any event, would it be called Balvenie?

I heard a rumor that the 15 YO single cask expressions were to be replaced by another CS expression. That may be one reason the price is going up.

Either way, if a distillery opened in 2007, I wouldn't expect it to affect prices for the 15 year old until 2022 at the earliest.

But I am repeatedly reminded how little I know about business.

It could well be named Balvenie I believe, as the company owns the name, the Scotch Whisky society probably has some rules about that. The only rule I know is that they can not sell whisky from one distillery under the name of another one, so as long as the Old Balvenie distillery is active they can never sell whisky from the Ailsa Bay distillery as Balvenie. Ailsa Bay is a mega-distillery like Roseisle that only produces whisky for blends, no single malts have been released from these distilleries (Diageo has announced that they eventually will). My guess is that since the opening from the new distillery less casks from the old Balvenie are needed for blends, so the stockpiles should remain stable.

The February 2014 Michigan Liquor Commission price book indicated many products with price increases generally ranging between 5-15%. In particular Ardbeg product prices increased 5%, Balvenie up 11%, Chivas up 10%, Dewars up 7-20%, Glendronach up 7-11%, Glenfiddich 18yo up 12%, other Glens (fiddich, livet, morangie, rothes...up 2-5%, JW Blue up 20%, and Tullamore Dew products up 5-9%.

Talking about price increases, the price increase of Mortlach probably dwarfs the rest as the 16yo has become a collector's item after Diageo unfolded its plans for the distillery

Since becoming a consistent scotch whisky consumer since 2008 - I've noticed significant increases with pricing (especially with Balvenie - who btw appears to have surpassed it's older sibling Glenfiddich in terms of product demand).

There's still a few good deals out there; in particular I recently purchased a 12 yr Aberlour for $35, and a 15 yr Glenfiddich Solera for $48 - although these good deals are becoming rare.

@wtrstrnghlt Yes I know that site, but even at drankdozijn prices went up considerably. But like Pandemonium said it looks like it concerns the diageo releases mostly

Everything is always going up.

Lots of company's release a new price list in January/February and it takes until Feb before the retailers get all of the changes in place - happens every year.

Highland Park 18 just jumped $30 dollars in Ontario....$180 , Balvenie 17 Doublewood is $200. Beer and wine are more affordable options, but still outrageous in the Puritanical province of Ontario.

I'm a chronic shopper-arounder. Here are some current good prices—many which are recent price DROPS—in my neck of the woods (southern Wisconsin):

•Talisker DE: $65

•Bruichladdich Peat Project: $53

•Laphroaig 18: $80

•Ardbeg Oogie: $75

•Knappogue Castle 12: $29

•Aberlour a'bunadh: $52

•Caol Ila 12: $39

•Glenlivet Nadurra 16: $51

•McClellend's Islay: $13 (OK, so that's gross, but dang cheap)

•Redbreast 12 CS: $67

•Connemara NAS CS: $48

My point is just that, despite rising prices, lots of good deals are still to be had—at least around here—if you're willing to poke around. The prices are totally scattershot, though; I could probably find each of these bottles for ~50% more by going to a different store.

The only price increase that I'm currently sweating is for BenRiach Curiositas 10. Only one store around here sells it, I think, and they've been out for a while. I'm worried that when they finally restock, it will be at much more than the old $53. It's the top botte on my buy list.

@OlJas

A'Bunadh for $52 dollars! Even after the exchange rate. WOW!

I wonder what magical batches if this elixir are for sale as well.

Of course one just has to leave Ontario for a massive price drop,

The price of Glenfarclas 40 went up over $100 in the past thirty days in Oregon. It's gone up all over the country. Glad I got my bottle when it was considerably cheaper

Nozinan, You have sympathy for those Ontario prices. A'bundah averages around $80 around here.

I bought one of those $53 bottles—my first, and batch 44—and wasn't too impressed. I think heavy sherry's just not for me. From what I can tell though, many fans of a'bunadh rate batch 37 highly, and that is (or at least, was) another lower-than-average price here in Madison, WI. I last saw it on the shelf at Riley's for $67.

And there's my public service announcement for today.

@OlJas

So sad...I wish I were there . 44 was one of my favourite batches of the 6 I've tried. Wish I could pick up a few more. My brother in law found several by accident in Calgary. I was with him. Should have picked it up. Sadly I didn't . At least when I visit him I'll be able to try it some day. He said he'd keep looking.

As if Whisky wasn't expensive enough, here is some news from the Diageo basterds. (Sorry for that) dramming.com/2014/03/…

So the Mortlach 16y F&F is now on top of my list, as it will be my only chance ever to taste a mature Mortlach.

I hope the 15y bottled by G&M will stay available so I can get a chance to taste this later on.

Balvenie has probably gone up 20% here in NC as well. So I just don't buy it. Just because Diageo had poor sale somewhere else there is no reason to raise my cost. Guess what Diageo, you won't make more money off me with the higher prices, you just won't get any of my money. Keep raising prices and you will lose customers. If you need to make up for loses, be innovative and create new bottlings or raise the quality and let the whisky sell itself. Hopefully the whisky executives read boards like this and I'm not just ranting to blow off some steam. Damn I need a drink now!

^^ Balvenie is the property of the William Grant & Sons group (the third biggest producer), not Diageo

I keep hearing Diageo has had poor sales in parts of the world, along with Remy Martin (parent company). Perhaps people are getting fed up with the ridiculuous price hikes. When you think about it, the products that are being sold are NOT worth the price being asked. Here is Ontario, a bottles of Lagavulin 16 is nearly $120. Now, that is mid range price for scotch here, but quite honestly, I have noticed a downward spiral regarding the overall quality in this particular scotch. It tastes watered down. The scotch industry has done an exceptional job at marketing their products. They aim to attract a purchasers to buy into the idea that they are part of an "elite", sophisticated class. What drives me crazy is how many of these expensive scotches come in fancy wooden boxes. Like honestly, the laquered bubinga box is probably worth as much as the liquid inside the bottle. Yet, they sell it, and for a hefty price! I know that I am rambling, but there comes a time when consumers are going to say, enough. I am just about there. For the price of a mediocre bottle of scotch, I can probably feed my wife and myself for a few weeks! It really puts things into perspective!

@Pandemonium I stand corrected, I think I was really just ranting this morning, just because. That shows you how long its been since I've bought a bottle. Its been well over a year since I've gotten anything Balvenie, maybe going on two years or more. However, I do have a bottle of the DW in the cabinet that someone gave me for Christmas. But like I said at their current prices I won't be dropping a dime on any of their old bottlings that used to fill my cabinet.

I love single malts, but now I find myself saving them for special occasions and turn to bourbon and beer for daily drinks first. However, craft beer prices are slowly rising as well and I'm not going back to the cheep stuff. I'm sure when I stop buying them, other people in the emerging markets will pick up my slack, so my buying habits won't hurt "them" whoever they are. I keep asking myself how high will they go before I can't afford to drink what I like, only to find out when I do purchase a bottle of my favorite malt the quality is sub par. The only upside to Balvanie raising their prices is that I have tried other brands that I would not normally buy and in some case holding out on a purchase to save up just a little bit more to get a bottle I really want. Damn it, I'm ranting again.

Let's not forget to keep an eye on so-called "devaluation of currencies," (which is, to a great extent, banker tricks with our currency to skim value). In the past eight years, the value of the American dollar has plummeted due in large part to banker tricks, lies, and subterfuge. Never put the richest people on earth in charge of your money supply. It's like putting T Rexes in charge of your hen house.

So, yes, devalued currencies are also playing a role in whisky prices. It has greatly affected food costs, as well.

As for things like cars, well, not so much. Why? Because their values were so artificially inflated to begin with that they can remain steady and take losses. Also, a few of the biggest auto manufacturers in America were "bailed out" by the public. I have yet to see any dividends returned for my "investment" in some of the largest car companies. Yet another scam on the part of some very wealthy pirates masquerading as the world's saviors.

@OlJas Awesome job reporting prices on this forum. Perhaps the building of an informal 'whisky network' for Connosr friends may happen after all...We need to help each other and at the same time share some whisky with new friends."YAH MULE, get on there!"

@paddockjudge Maybe as Canadians we should stock up on the good Canadian stuff not available in the US, and when our Connosr friends visit us they can bring us the cheaper Scotches (I'm speaking from an LCBO perspective) and we can send them home with our good stuff...

@Nozinan - Agreed! Malt for those that prefer it and some of your beautiful domestic bounty for me. Yes, Bourbon for me my American neighbors; some of the top shelf offerings that for no good reason we never have a chance to purchase here in Ontario...like the Booker's Anniversary edition. I have an ample supply of Canadian award winning expressions available for trade.